The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
Sept. 5
Alaska Airlines has confirmed that nonstop service from Seattle to Reykjavik, Iceland, will commence on May 28, 2026. The carrier will operate daily Boeing 737-8 summer flights, offering connections through its codeshare partnership with Icelandair, which provides more than 35 daily departures from Reykjavík to Europe. Alaska initially announced plans to add a Reykjavík route in early August. “We’re excited to launch our new nonstop route next summer, bringing travelers closer to the natural magic of Iceland and providing a seamless gateway to Europe,” Alaska vice president of revenue management and network planning Kirsten Amrine says.
AirJapan will expand service on its Singapore-Tokyo Narita route to daily flights beginning Nov. 21, coinciding with the arrival of the airline’s third aircraft. The addition of Wednesday and Thursday operations will increase frequency from five to seven flights per week. The ANA Group carrier says further route launches and frequency increases using the new aircraft will be announced in due course. The airline currently operates a fleet of two Boeing 787-8s.
Qatar Airways will launch service to Red Sea International Airport (RSI) on Oct. 21, making airport its 12th destination in the Saudi Arabia. The airline will operate 3X-weekly flights from Doha on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. “The launch of these new flights with Qatar Airways is a significant step in our journey to establishing The Red Sea as a premier luxury destination on the world stage,” Red Sea Global Group CEO John Pagano says. RSI opened in 2023 and aims to serve more than 1 million passengers per year by 2030.
Nauru Airlines has launched service to Clark International Airport in the Philippines, marking the latest step in its Asia expansion. The first flight departed Sept. 5, with a weekly service connecting Clark to Koror, Palau. Nauru Airlines CEO Robert Eoe says Clark is a “strategically important gateway and a natural fit” for the carrier, creating new opportunities for passenger and cargo traffic.
Sept. 4
KLM has inaugurated nonstop service between Amsterdam Schiphol and Hyderabad, India, operating three times per week with Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. “India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and an important trading partner for the Netherlands and the EU,” KLM CCO Maarten Stienen says. “Over the past few years, the number of passengers traveling between Amsterdam and India has almost doubled. By adding Hyderabad as a new and important business destination in India, KLM is expanding its network to meet this growing demand.”
Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways will relaunch direct flights to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Oct. 2, adding to its existing Dubai service. Flights will operate twice a week. “We are pleased to restart our services to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain—two cities that are important to both leisure and business travelers,” Jazeera CEO Barathan Pasupathi says. He adds that demand is strong among Kuwaiti nationals, expatriates and UAE residents, and the flights will provide “greater flexibility and choice” alongside the airline’s three daily Dubai services.
Wizz Air will expand its network in 2026 with two new routes to North Macedonia. From March 30, the ULCC will launch service from Naples, Italy, to Skopje, operating three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with Airbus A321neo aircraft. In addition, the carrier will open a Katowice-Ohrid route from June 8, offering seasonal flights twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays during the summer peak.
Austrian Airlines will launch a new seasonal service to Dubai on Dec. 1, offering five weekly flights as part of a trial period through March 2026 using Airbus A320neo aircraft. Flights will depart Vienna on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Austrian Airlines CEO Annette Mann says: “An aircraft in the air is always better than one on the ground - and at the same time, we want to offer our guests a compelling deal. We understand this route comes with strong and very comfortable competition. But by deploying aircraft that would otherwise be idle during winter, we can afford to take a bold step, try something new, and challenge the market.”
Sept. 3
Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Emerald Airlines, will expand its Belfast City Airport schedule for winter 2025, adding daily East Midlands service and increasing flights to Manchester, England. From Oct. 25, the Belfast City–East Midlands route will rise from three to 7X-weekly flights, while Manchester frequencies will grow to 4X-daily. The carrier already serves eight other UK destinations from Belfast City, including Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Uzbek carrier Centrum Air will commence a 2X-weekly service between Tashkent and New Delhi on Oct. 3, 2025, marking its first scheduled route to India. Flights will operate on Tuesdays and Fridays using Airbus A320 aircraft. “For us, this route is not only about new opportunities but also a significant contribution to strengthening ties between our countries,” says Centrum Air founder and CEO Abdulaziz Abdurakhmanov. “India represents tourism, business, healthcare and culture. With this direct connection, Centrum Air brings our citizens and neighboring countries closer to one of the region's most important partners."
Kuwait Airways will restart service to Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Oct. 26, restoring a route that has been absent from the carrier’s network since December 2021. The airline will operate 4X-weekly flights on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Kuwait Airways says the move reflects Colombo’s significance within its network and its strategy of providing “new and diverse travel options” as it expands globally. As previously reported, Kuwait Airways will also resume flights to Madrid on Oct. 26.
Turkish Airlines has launched service between Istanbul and Misurata, Libya, operating three times per week. Flights will be operated using Boeing 737-900 aircraft, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. The new route becomes the carrier’s third destination in Libya, joining existing flights to Tripoli and Benghazi.
Sept. 2
Latvia’s airBaltic will expand its summer 2026 schedule with six new routes, three resumptions and additional frequencies across nearly 30 destinations. From Riga, the airline will open flights to Kaunas, Lithuania, and Oulu, Finland, on March 29, as well as Antalya, Turkey, from May 2. From Tallinn, Estonia, new services will include Athens on April 28, Hamburg on March 29 and Vienna on March 30. The network will also see Riga flights to Aberdeen, Belgrade and Yerevan restored, while frequency increases will be introduced from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius and Tampere to popular markets including Istanbul, Milan, Nice and Palma de Mallorca. The schedule will give airBaltic nearly 110 routes across its bases next summer, marking a 7% increase year-on-year.
South African Airways will launch 2X-daily flights between Johannesburg and Gaborone, Botswana, from Nov. 4. The new schedule includes two daily return services operated seven days a week. “The launch of this route not only strengthens the cultural and economic ties between Botswana and South Africa but also reinforces SAA’s position as a premium network carrier,” SAA CEO John Lamola says.
Kuwait Airways will resume flights to Madrid on Oct. 26, 2025, restoring service suspended in April 2024. The airline will operate three flights per week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Chairman Abdulmohsen Al-Fagaan says Madrid remains a popular destination among passengers, citing its climate, cultural attractions and tourism appeal.
UK-based easyJet has launched flights between Birmingham Airport (BHX) and Derry, becoming the only airline to operate the route. The new service will operate twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. “Since easyJet established a base from BHX last year, we have been pleased to see its consistent investment and destination expansion providing our passengers with even more choice for travel,” says Al Titterington, terminal operations director at BHX.
Jetstar will add more than 350,000 annual seats to its Adelaide Airport (ADL) network from late October, increasing domestic capacity at the South Australian capital by 19% year over year. Beginning Oct. 26, the carrier will boost frequencies on three key routes: Adelaide–Melbourne will rise from 35 to 40 weekly flights; Adelaide–Brisbane from 10 to 14; and Adelaide–Perth from seven to 11. To support the expansion, Jetstar will base a sixth Airbus A320 at the airport. “Jetstar has been an important driver of our recent record passenger numbers,” ADL MD Brenton Cox says. ”These extra flights and increased capacity will generate even more choice on popular routes.”
TAAG Angola Airlines has inaugurated service between Luanda and Nairobi, marking its entry into the Kenyan market. The new route will operate three times weekly on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays with Airbus A220-300 aircraft. The airline says the route is expected to promote bilateral trade, support tourism flows and enhance access to regional and global markets, with both Luanda and Nairobi serving as connection points to Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Lufthansa will expand its Frankfurt–St. Louis service next summer, increasing from 3X to 5X-weekly flights between June 1 and Oct. 20, 2026. The route, first launched in 2022, is operated using Airbus A330-300s seating 255 passengers in business, premium economy and economy cabins.
Qantas Airways will extend and expand its Perth–Rome route next year. The airline says the seasonal nonstop route will operate from May 3 to Oct. 23, 2026, eight weeks longer than in 2025, and increase from three to four Boeing 787-9 flights per week. The changes will add 40 frequencies and nearly 10,000 seats on the sector.
Sept. 1
Austrian Airlines plans to transfer flights operating from Vienna Airport (VIE) to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) to Milan Linate Airport (LIN), effective Oct. 26. According to OAG schedules Analyser data, the carrier currently serves MXP four times per day from using a mix of Embraer 195s and Airbus A320-family aircraft. The move will see the airline compete directly with easyJet, which offers daily flights between VIE and LIN. Ryanair also serves the Vienna-Milan market, flying daily to VIE from MXP and double-daily from Milan Bergamo Airport.
East Midlands Airport (EMA), England, expects see a busier summer in 2026 with the arrival of new carrier SunExpress and an expanded schedule from Jet2.com. SunExpress will begin operating from the airport next Easter, offering up to three weekly flights to Antalya, Turkey, through October. The move marks the airline’s debut at EMA. Additionally, Jet2 will add seven destinations, bringing the total number of routes served from the airport to 43. New services will include Agadir, Morocco; Costa de Almeria, Spain; Preveza, Thessaloniki and Chania, Greece; and Pula and Split, Croatia, alongside expanded flights to Jersey in the Channel Islands and year-round service to Murcia, Spain.
Vietjet will expand its Vietnam-Australia service later this year, boosting frequencies on routes from Ho Chi Minh City to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. From Nov. 11, the Melbourne route will increase from 5X to 6X-weekly, rising to daily on Dec. 6. Sydney will move from 5X to 6X-weekly flights from Nov. 13 and daily from Dec. 7. Brisbane will grow from four to five flights per week beginning Dec. 6.
AirAsia Philippines will reopen five routes from Cebu later this year as the carrier expands its domestic and regional network. Beginning Nov. 15, the airline will resume domestic flights from Mactan Cebu International Airport to Iloilo, Caticlan and Davao, as well as international service to Kuala Lumpur and Macau. The routes will be operated with Airbus A320 aircraft. AirAsia Philippines offers one route from CEB at present, flying up to seven times per day from Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
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